Minoan Snake Goddess

Several figurines of ancient Goddesses holding snakes were found in Knossos, Crete. Pictured here is the most famous of these Minoan Snake Goddesses, c. 1600 BCE.

She holds aloft two sacred Serpents in a dramatic pose, with another rising upright above her head.

The snakes represent this Goddess's role as a bridge between the worlds, her access to infinite spiritual wisdom, and her ultimate power of transformation — to magickally create and re-create both herself and others.

She seems to be not so much displaying this power, but inviting us to partake of it with her. The Minoan Snake Goddess is showing us the way.

The Minoan Snake Goddess:
Icon of a Matriarchal Culture

The greatest attraction of this image, perhaps, is the culture that created it. Little is known for certain of the Minoans, but what we do know is inspiring... at this time of history, especially so!

Women played a major role in Minoan society; there is, in fact, strong evidence that it was highly matriarchal. Women were the spiritual leaders, for instance — there were no Minoan priests. The standards of beauty for men and women is another sign

There is no evidence of a ruler per se, certainly none of the arrogant violent kings that are depicted by other cultures in the art of the times.

By contrast, the Goddess and the charm of nature were the common themes in Minoan art. As the Minoan Snake Goddesses demonstrate.

Minoans seemed to epitomize Goddess-worshipping culture: refinement, sensitivity, harmony, intelligence, and sensuality combined with innocence.

While they are largely a mystery to us, what we know of the Minoans indicates a deep love of nature and beauty, a sophisticated culture, and a peaceful lifestyle. They didn't glorify fighting or war, and unfortified castles shared the island seemingly without strife between them. They had a large and powerful navy which they used to rid their home sea of pirates and to trade with distant societies.

They were prosperous with a high standard of living and much leisure time.

Also striking is the lack of centralised worship. There were no large temples; rather, spirituality was woven throughout their buildings and, it seems, their lives, in the form of numerous altars.

The Minoan culture demonstrates that the idea of a matriarchy or women in positions of power as "the same as patriarchy except with women on top" is inaccurate.

A culture based on Goddess awareness and Goddess values is more likely to be — as the Minoans were — peaceful, incredibly creative, rich with beauty and sensitivity.

Minoans are sometimes mistakenly thought of as early Greeks, but they were not. However, the Minoan culture was instrumental in shaping early Greek civilization, and had a lasting impact on all the societies around them.